AG Horne and Federal Trade Commission Issue Warning about New Scam in Wake of Obamacare Decision

PHOENIX (Tuesday, July 17, 2012) -- Attorney General Tom Horne, in cooperation with the Federal Trade Commission, has issued a warning that scam artists are taking advantage of the publicity surrounding the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on the Affordable Care Act.

“No sooner had the Supreme Court released its decision on the Obama health care plan than unscrupulous predators started working the phones to try to commit fraud on unsuspecting consumers,” Horne said. “It is a reminder of how scammers will use any excuse to try to cheat people out of their money, and consumers need to have a heightened awareness of this latest scheme.”

According to the FTC, scam artists claiming to work for the government will call under the pretense that the Affordable Care Act requires the consumer to report personal information to the caller. In some cases, the caller may ask for a bank routing number, credit card information, Social Security number or other personal data. Calls from people claiming to be from the government and who ask for this type of information are not legitimate.

“No government program, including the Obama health care plan, requires consumers to give personal information over the phone,” Horne added. “In fact, if you receive a call like this you should hang up immediately because it is a scam.”

Consumers who believe they have been a victim, or who would like to report consumer fraud, may file a consumer complaint with the Attorney General’s Office.